Edward Lee Merkle (July 3, 1917 – November 27, 1987) was an American professional football guard in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins. He played college football at Oklahoma A&M.
Biography
Ed Merkle was born July 3, 1917, at Windsor, Missouri. He was of Dutch-German ancestry.George Strickler (ed.), National Football League 1944 Roster Manual. Chicago: National Football League, 1944; pp. 42–43.
He attended Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College (Oklahoma A&M), today's Oklahoma State University, where he played football for the Cowboys.
He joined the Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL) for the 1944 season, seeing action in 10 games and starting in 4."Ed Merkle," Pro Football Reference, www.pro-football-reference.com/ After World War II, Merkle attempted to resurrect his professional football career as a member of the Los Angeles Dons of the All-America Football Conference,The Don: Los Angeles Dons — Brooklyn Dodgers, September 13, 1946: Official Program. Los Angeles, CA: Los Angeles Dons, 1946; p. 16. but he was released just ahead of the season and did not see regular season action for that team.Kenneth R. Crippen and Matt Reaser (eds.), The All-America Football Conference: Players, Coaches, Records, Games, and Awards, 1946–1949. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Co., 2018; p. 267.
Merkle died November 27, 1987, in Los Angeles County, California. He was 70 years old at the time of his death.
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